About Heartbeat

“Heartbeat opened my eyes to see the complexities of reality around me. I can no longer close my eyes.”

– Heartbeat participant

“Now that I understand more, I have a responsibility to do more.”

– Heartbeat participant

“I shoot music to express myself and change the way they see things. It hits them with love.”

– Heartbeat participant

Our Mission

Heartbeat is a global community of musicians who unite to break down barriers, build empathy, and promote a mutually beneficial future.

Heartbeat enables music-driven, youth dialogue programs that build bridges and critical awareness between communities otherwise divided by conflict, racism and injustice. Using music education as a medium for transferable learning, youth ensemble members build critical awareness, respect, and trust while harnessing their creativity to imagine possibilities, ask questions, and publicly address systemic problems and injustices. 

Heartbeat creates spaces and opportunities for youth musicians to develop agency and the critical skills to challenge the structures of protracted conflict, inequality, and discrimination within their communities as empowered grassroots cultural and community leaders. Heartbeat participants come to deeply trust and empathize with one another, respect each other as equals, and see each other as partners in building a mutually beneficial future for all.

Our sister project, Jamaa, amplifies socially conscious, professional musicians through multimedia production and live performances.

All Heartbeat programs are over 95% scholarship-based, ensuring equal access to all. 

Our Vision

We work to build a future where all people enjoy equitable access to freedom, education, safety, and dignity.